BEST SMART TVs REVIEWS GUIDES & INSIGHTS

Smart TVs have evolved far beyond just broadcasting live television or streaming content. In 2024, the modern smart TV has transformed into a powerful home entertainment hub, integrating apps, gaming, music, internet browsing, and smart home controls into one convenient platform. With high-resolution displays, voice assistants, and multiple connectivity options, smart TVs are now central to creating a connected, enjoyable living space.
In this guide, we’ll explore how you can turn your smart TV into the ultimate home entertainment hub, leveraging its features to access not only films and shows but also music, gaming, web browsing, and even control smart home devices.
What Is a Home Entertainment Hub?
A home entertainment hub is a centralised system where all your media, games, and streaming services converge. By using your smart TV as the core device, you can streamline all your entertainment needs—whether it’s watching a film, playing video games, streaming music, or controlling smart home devices—from one intuitive interface.
Why Use Your Smart TV as an Entertainment Hub?

• Centralised control: Your smart TV can connect with various devices like gaming consoles, sound systems, and streaming devices, allowing you to manage everything from a single screen.
• Multi-functional: Your TV can do more than just play films or shows—it can serve as a gaming screen, a music player, or even a web browser.
• Smart home integration: Many smart TVs, especially smart TVs with Alexa or Google Assistant, integrate with other smart home devices, allowing you to control lighting, thermostats, security cameras, and more, all from your TV screen.

Key Features of a Smart TV Home Entertainment Hub
To maximise the potential of your smart TV as a home entertainment hub, let’s look at the key features that make this possible:

1. Streaming Services and On-Demand Content

One of the biggest advantages of using your smart TV as an entertainment hub is access to a wide range of streaming services like Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and YouTube. With these apps built directly into your TV, you can enjoy on-demand content, 4K HDR films, TV shows, and exclusive content from various platforms, all without needing an external streaming device.
Pro tip: If you have one of the best 8K smart TVs UK 2024, ensure your streaming service offers content in 8K resolution for an unrivalled viewing experience.

2. Gaming

Smart TVs today are optimised for gaming, with many models featuring high refresh rates, low input lag, and support for HDMI 2.1 for next-gen consoles like the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. Whether you’re a casual gamer or a serious player, your smart TV can serve as the perfect gaming display, especially with features like VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) and ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode).

• Cloud Gaming: Services like Xbox Cloud Gaming and NVIDIA GeForce Now allow you to stream and play console-level games directly from your smart TV without needing a console.
• Local Gaming: Connect your PlayStation, Xbox, or PC to your TV via HDMI to enjoy immersive gaming in 4K or even 8K resolution.

Pro tip: For an optimal gaming experience, choose a TV from the lineup of best gaming TVs 2024 UK, which are specifically designed for smooth, responsive gaming.

3. Music Streaming and Casting

Smart TVs are not limited to just video entertainment; they also serve as powerful music streaming devices. Apps like Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube Music are available on most smart TVs, turning your television into a large-format music player. You can also cast music from your smartphone or tablet to the TV for seamless control.

• Bluetooth Speakers: Connect your smart TV to a Bluetooth soundbar or speaker system for enhanced audio quality, making it perfect for music streaming.
• Multi-room Audio: Some smart TVs integrate with systems like Sonos or Amazon Alexa, allowing you to sync music across multiple rooms in your house.

Pro tip: Smart TVs with the best audio quality 2024 come equipped with features like Dolby Atmos, providing a more immersive listening experience when streaming music or films.

4. Smart Home Integration

One of the most exciting features of smart TVs today is their ability to act as a hub for your smart home ecosystem. With integrated voice assistants like Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, or Samsung’s Bixby, you can control other smart devices right from your TV.

• Smart Lighting: Use your TV remote or voice commands to control smart bulbs or dim your lights while watching a film.
• Smart Thermostats: Adjust the temperature of your home without leaving the comfort of your sofa.
• Security Cameras: View footage from your home security cameras directly on your TV, perfect for monitoring your home while watching a show or playing games.

Pro tip: If your TV supports Alexa, make sure it’s set up to integrate with your smart home devices. Smart TVs with Alexa UK 2024 allow for voice control over various aspects of your smart home.

5. Web Browsing

Many smart TVs come with built-in web browsers, enabling you to surf the internet from the comfort of your sofa. Whether you’re shopping online, checking social media, or watching videos outside of the usual apps, your TV’s web browser can handle it all. While the browsing experience may not be as fast or smooth as on a laptop, it can be handy for quick searches or checking the news.
Pro tip: If you find navigating the web with your remote tedious, consider connecting a wireless keyboard to your smart TV for easier browsing.

6. Content Casting and Mirroring

If you want to share content from your smartphone or tablet, most smart TVs support screen mirroring and casting. With features like AirPlay (for iPhone users) or Chromecast (for Android users), you can stream photos, videos, games, and even work presentations from your mobile device directly to your TV.

• AirPlay: Apple users can wirelessly stream content from their iPhone, iPad, or Mac to any AirPlay-enabled smart TV.
• Google Cast: Android users can cast from their phone using Google Cast to any TV with built-in Chromecast functionality.

Pro tip: When streaming from your smartphone, ensure both your phone and TV are connected to the same Wi-Fi network for a smooth experience.

Setting Up Your Smart TV as a Home Entertainment Hub
Now that we’ve explored the features that make a smart TV a robust entertainment hub, let’s go over how to set everything up for seamless integration:

1. Connect to the Internet: A stable Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection is crucial for streaming, gaming, and controlling smart devices. Make sure your TV is connected to the internet before you start setting up apps and devices.
2. Download Essential Apps: Go to your TV’s app store and download the necessary apps, such as Netflix, Disney+, Spotify, or smart home control apps like Alexa or Google Assistant.
3. Connect External Devices: Plug in gaming consoles, soundbars, or Blu-ray players using HDMI ports. Use Bluetooth to connect wireless speakers or sound systems for enhanced audio.
4. Set Up Voice Controls: If your smart TV supports Alexa, Google Assistant, or Bixby, follow the on-screen instructions to connect your TV to your voice assistant account.
5. Customise Settings: Adjust your picture, sound, and smart home settings to optimise your TV’s performance based on your preferences.

Final Thoughts
With today’s advanced technology, smart TVs are no longer just a platform for watching content—they are the centrepiece of a connected home. By leveraging your smart TV’s features for streaming, gaming, music, smart home control, and more, you can create the ultimate home entertainment hub. Whether you’re using a budget 4K TV or one of the best smart TVs 2024 UK, the right setup allows you to enjoy a centralised, immersive entertainment experience that the whole family can appreciate.